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HereSince1628

(36,063 posts)

36. I believed in the risk of the Population Bomb

Sun Mar 8, 2015, 09:45 AM

Mar 2015

so I had only 2 children. A few years after their births it became apparent that cancer had a genetic pattern on their mothers side. It took a while but thanks to the wonders of modern molecular methods we know there ixs an awful BRCA plus variant that came through from their maternal grandfather and plagues the lineage.

My daughter is a carrier, and she refused to have children, she's now got menopause in her sights. So, it looks like she will achieve her desired result. My son also a carrier, and his wife decided to have one child. By chance that kid doesn't carry it.

I write this only to say, there are many reasons for choosing to limit family size even down to choosing no children. As it turned out awareness of cancer promoting genes turned out to have stronger influence on my descendants than my interest in population control and the environment.

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Why I don't want to have children. [View all] minivan2 Mar 2015 OP

I often look at young families, particularly ones with large broods, and can only Jackpine Radical Mar 2015 #1

A lot of them are Quiver Full folks... awoke_in_2003 Mar 2015 #16

Problem with that is you can't always depend on the kids. MADem Mar 2015 #26

It does seem the more conservative you are, yeoman6987 Mar 2015 #56

well, the main premise of Idiocracy awoke_in_2003 Mar 2015 #74

There aren't that many of those folks. Agschmid Mar 2015 #68

now, maybe awoke_in_2003 Mar 2015 #75

You're not alone. Erich Bloodaxe BSN Mar 2015 #2

This... yuiyoshida Mar 2015 #12

It's a large part of why I am glad I didn't have any. And why I feel sad for my kestrel91316 Mar 2015 #3

Glad I don't have kids vt_native Mar 2015 #4

Me I'm too traumatized to have children. I've seen the very worst applegrove Mar 2015 #5

'No children, happy to go extinct', tweets weatherman after grim climate-change report GuntherGebelWilliams Mar 2015 #6

Meh alcibiades_mystery Mar 2015 #7

Glad to K & R aint_no_life_nowhere Mar 2015 #8

other people still are though; especially super-rich people, who have more than the standard ND-Dem Mar 2015 #9

The super rich know... awoke_in_2003 Mar 2015 #17

they can afford the cost of raising kids so they tend to have more. Travis_0004 Mar 2015 #76

Don't forget over population. Dawgs Mar 2015 #10

if everyone chose to not have children it would have great future consequences Marrah_G Mar 2015 #32

Message auto-removed Name removed Mar 2015 #33

Ha! No one said we should eliminate future generations. Dawgs Mar 2015 #41

I was responding to your comments about anyone having children making you sick Marrah_G Mar 2015 #88

I don't know ... I don't think the elimination of humans (by attrition, not by other means) Arugula Latte Mar 2015 #49

it's big and straw, and shaped like us! What could it be??!?!!! hatrack Mar 2015 #81

Uh huh... Oktober Mar 2015 #34

You don't think over population is a a major threat? n/t Dawgs Mar 2015 #42

It's a serious issue... Oktober Mar 2015 #43

You think it's over dramatic to feel ill about children having to deal with the death of the planet? Dawgs Mar 2015 #45

Yes....Yes I do... Oktober Mar 2015 #51

overpopulation is not a problem in western countries ProdigalJunkMail Mar 2015 #46

Still a problem for the whole planet, and it's just a small part of reason I feel ill about it. n/t Dawgs Mar 2015 #48

Most western countries make up for it, though, by consuming far more resources per capita. Erich Bloodaxe BSN Mar 2015 #52

And there is the real problem. jwirr Mar 2015 #58

I dont think my choice to have 0 kids or 10 kids makes a big difference Travis_0004 Mar 2015 #77

the corporate world KT2000 Mar 2015 #11

I'm the parent of two adult children who have decided they won't have children. enough Mar 2015 #13

I decided over 50 years ago not to. safeinOhio Mar 2015 #14

Congratulations! Trillo Mar 2015 #15

If I were making the decision today.. one_voice Mar 2015 #18

I decided not to breed about the time St. Ronnie of Rayguns was elected corkhead Mar 2015 #19

There are lots of reasons. moondust Mar 2015 #20

I just like having time and freedom. Marr Mar 2015 #21

My philosophy about children as the same as my philosophy about dogs... brooklynite Mar 2015 #22

Same here-- I've found the role of 'uncle with gifts' to be about perfect. Marr Mar 2015 #23

You do the important part - you help out with future generations. Erich Bloodaxe BSN Mar 2015 #53

Yes, same here. I do think that bringing a child into the world at this smirkymonkey Mar 2015 #86

Admirable laundry_queen Mar 2015 #24

Where do you think is mahina Mar 2015 #37

I'm in a laundry_queen Mar 2015 #50

From what I've read, Blue_In_AK Mar 2015 #60

No one, and I mean NO one, who does not want to have children should have them. Hekate Mar 2015 #25

I sincerely wish I were ignorant... wundermaus Mar 2015 #27

I heard this argument when I was a kid in the nineteen sixties. Manifestor_of_Light Mar 2015 #28

The difference is that the climate change bomb has already been dropped. Dawgs Mar 2015 #44

In the 70's, we were supposed to be under ice right now yeoman6987 Mar 2015 #57

Weather people are not scientists, and weather is not climate. Dawgs Mar 2015 #63

Scientists said we would be deep in ice right now yeoman6987 Mar 2015 #69

Yes. The small percentage of scientists that predicted an ice age were wrong. Dawgs Mar 2015 #72

You're not even close. "Scientists" never believed it, even then. No popular consensus, either hatrack Mar 2015 #83

I posted last night that I feel panicked cilla4progress Mar 2015 #29

If you ascribe to the current thinking on climate change, then it makes no sense to have children Wella Mar 2015 #30

I don't regret having children Marrah_G Mar 2015 #31

The answer isn't no kids... Oktober Mar 2015 #35

This. MissB Mar 2015 #38

I believed in the risk of the Population Bomb HereSince1628 Mar 2015 #36

I have two grown sons. I'm very glad I had children. SheilaT Mar 2015 #39

I never had kids by choice and I don't regret it for a minute. Vinca Mar 2015 #40

I have two children, and I would love to be a grandparent some day, but Arugula Latte Mar 2015 #47

I respect that decision and your reason for it. Jamastiene Mar 2015 #54

Would you consider adopting a child? onenote Mar 2015 #55

So many children need a family dem in texas Mar 2015 #61

It's a personal choice. Blue_In_AK Mar 2015 #59

Why are so many of you answering the OP like it was a question? Dawgs Mar 2015 #64

We have two children, and call me selfish, but I would not have ... 11 Bravo Mar 2015 #62

Why so defensive? The OP wasn't telling you, or your kids, that they are wrong. n/t Dawgs Mar 2015 #65

Not intended to be defensive at all. I was just sitting here ... 11 Bravo Mar 2015 #66

Nice try, but "and call me selfish" is absolutely defensive. Dawgs Mar 2015 #73

Why are you itching for a fight? BubbaFett Mar 2015 #80

You noticed that also? 11 Bravo Mar 2015 #91

My parents, and my wife's parents, had a mess of kids in an old-fashioned Catholic way. hunter Mar 2015 #67

Hm. Other perspective: WilliamPitt Mar 2015 #70

i respects one decision to not have kids, and would never suggest otherwise. i also value and seabeyond Mar 2015 #71

I think I may adopt. I am closing in on becoming wealthy and would like to give some kid Katashi_itto Mar 2015 #78

I have two young kids taught_me_patience Mar 2015 #79

Someone will eventually win the bet on the end of the world, but no one has yet. lumberjack_jeff Mar 2015 #82

I beg DU. Do not reproduce. Honestly. I can't even. AngryAmish Mar 2015 #84

My reasons for not having children Texasgal Mar 2015 #85

We plan on having children. linuxman Mar 2015 #87

Sounds like you will be good parents. Throd Mar 2015 #89

I didn't, but I don't need that reason. treestar Mar 2015 #90